Bill tightening recounts in Wisconsin passes Senate

Nov. 07, 2017

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Election recounts would be more limited in Wisconsin under a bill that has cleared the Legislature.

The measure comes in response to Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's 2016 recount request even though she finished fourth in Wisconsin.

Under the Republican bill, only candidates who trail the winner by 1 percentage point or less in statewide elections could seek a recount. Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Republican Donald Trump by less than that margin in Wisconsin, but Stein — not Clinton — requested the recount.

Democrats have argued that if a candidate wants to pay for a recount, there's no reason to stop them.

The Senate passed the bill 20-13 Tuesday. The Assembly passed it in June. It goes next to Gov. Scott Walker, who supports the measure.